Women&#39;s boot heel insert



Feb. 19, 1963 E. M. HANKO ETAL 3,077,679

WOMENS BOOT HEEL INSERT Filed Oct. 6, 1961 INVENTORS WILLIAM B. HANKO 8 BY EMMA M. HANKO ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,077,679 WOMENS BOOT HEEL INSERT Emma M. Hanko and William B. Hanko, both of 2710 Queen Ave., Cleveland, Ohio Filed Oct. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 143,356 6 Claims. (Cl. 367.3)

This invention relates to a novel device for womens boots and in particular to an insert which will increase the useful life of the boot by protecting the inner portions of the boot heel from damage orrapid wear. In particular, the invention is directed to an insert which is urged into the bottom portion of a womans boot heel and re mains firm in that position.

The increased popularity of the so-called spiked heel for womens shoes has given rise to a considerable problem as a result of the tendency of these higher, pointed heels to pierce the heels of rubber or plastic boots worn in connection with the higher-heeled shoes. These spike \heels have lifts generally made of metal or some other hard material designed to increase the life of the shoe heel and to provide additional comfort to the wearer. However, these metallic or hand lifts cause extremely rapid wear to the boot heel, and after only a short period of time, puncture the boot heel, sometimes within a few hours of use. causes the boot to become useless to the wearer and, consequently, it must be discarded.

Many solutions to this problem have been advanced including the use of various types of wearplates which are designed to be placed in the boot heel to maintain separation between the shoe heel lift or bottom portion of the shoe heel and the lower portion of the boot heel. Usually, such plates are flat members, and while they generally prevent contact between the bottom heel portion of the boot and the bottom of the shoe heel, they have proved unsatisfactory in that frequently they are moved from their proper position when the boot is removed from the shoe. oftentimes, this displacement results in the flat plate being forced through the lateral portion of the boot heel,causing damage to the boot heel.

In addition, the use of a single flat plate fails to maintain the shoe heel in its proper position within the boot, and sideways movement of the shoe heel within the boot heel sometimes causes the shoe heel itself to move laterally and consequently to damage the lateral portions of the boot heel. Other unsatisfactory solutions to the basic problem sought to be remedied have been forthcoming. Examples of such proposed remedies are available for reference in the following US. patents:

Anshutz-No. 306,804Oct. 21, 1884 G1 uberNo. 1,778,592-Oct. 14, 1930 Wilkinson-No. 2,108,S72-Feb. 15, 1938 Richards-No. 2,l42,98lJan. 3, 1939 The difliculties involved in overcoming this problem will be clearly indicated by the recital of the objects to which our invention is directed.

It is one object of the invention to provide an insert for a womans boot heel which will eliminate rapid wear and damage to the boot heel otherwise caused by contact between the spiked heel of a shoe and a boot heel.

It is another object of the invention to provide a boot heel insert of the type described wherein a socket or thimble of metal or other hard material is provided for receiving the spiked heel of a shoe to be received within the boot heel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heel insert of the type described which is firmly placed within the boot heel such that the insert will not be displaced unintentionally each time the boot is removed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boot The resulting damage to thebootheel It is still a further object of the invention to provide means to facilitate the entry of the shoe heel into the socket.

1 It is still a further object of the invention to provide means to prevent scufiing or scarring of the spiked shoe heel which is adapted to fit within a boot heel construction embodying the principles of the invention.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the following description setting forth in detail one approved means of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may FIG. 3 is a plan view of the section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 isa perspective viewof the boot heel insert.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, we have shown a portion of a womans boot, identified generally by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1, having an elongated heel portion shown generally at 12. Within the boot 10 is a shoe 14 with a high, thin spiked heel 16 received by the boot heel '12.

, The lower portion of the boot heel #12 consists of a continuous internal side wall portion 18, which section defines a longitudinally extending bore 20, as shown in FIG. 2.

of the drawings.

Within this bore 20 and contacting the boot heel 12 is a generally cylindrical or cup-shaped member 22 of aluminum or some other suitable rigid material having a longitudinal bore 24 which may be either straight or smoothly tapered and a bottom wall 26 which mates with the ground contacting bottom wall portion of the boot heel indicated at 28. The member 22, if desired, may be bonded in position within the boot heel, although it is.

also within the'contemplation of the invention to retain the same within the bore of the boot heel 20solely by friction. w v

The mouth of the longitudinally extending inner bore 24 is provided with an upwandly opening flared or conical portion 30 to facilitate entry of the shoe heel 16 into the.

cylindrical member 22. The'bore 24 may be ofany suitable cross-sectional configuration including circular, square and the like, whichever is convenient for machining purposes. However, the clearance between the shoe heel '16 and the wall of the bore should be such that when the boot is worn, the degree of relative lateral movement to which the heel and bore wall are susceptible is reduced to a minimum. Material lateral movement between the shoe heel 16 and the bore wall has been found to be a contributing factor in undue discomfort to the wearer, and it is a dominant cause of damage to the finish of the shoe heel.

Accordingly, to prevent such damage and to ensure wearer comfort, the inner bore may be coated with a resinous or other material which will not scratch or mar the finish of the shoe heel 16 and which will provide a cushion between the shoe heel 16 and the bore 24.

Around the periphery of the cylindrical member 22 and spaced along its longitudinal axis is a plurality of ribs 32 preferably of plastic or other suitable firm material. In

the illustrated embodiment, the ribs are formed on a carceived and attached, either by a friction bond or through the use of some other suitable bonding medium. While the embodiment of the ribs in a one piece construction represents a convenient manufacturing concept, it is nevertheless possible and within the contemplation of this invention, to form and mount the ribs individually, or to produce them initially as an integral part of the member 22 depending upon the circumstances of the particular application involved.

It will also be apparent that the ribbed members need not be spaced evenly along the length of the cylindrical member, but may be of the form of a continuous ribbed spiral extending from the top portion of the cylindrical member circuitously around the periphery to the bottom portion. Further, the ribs need not be continuous but may be interrupted as well. The ribs, though they are shown in generally triangular cross-section at 40, may be of any suitable cross-section provided that they do not damage the inner wall section 18 of the boot heel. The plurality of ribs provide interstices 42 within which, upon deformation, the material of the boot heel flows or yields as illustrated generally at 44 and this displacement of the boot heel materal secures and contains the complete insert in its proper position within the boot heel.

The specifications incorporated, herein thus define an insert for a womans boot heel which will accomplish all of the obects recited and which provide a novel solution to the problem of womens spiked heels piercing rubber and elastic boots.

From the foregoing it may be observed that the mem ber 22 can be easily inserted into the heel portion of a womans boot. The spiked heel is received within the bore of the cylindrical member of the insert and is contained within the bore with a minimum of lateral movement between the shoe heel and the inner bore of the cylindrical member. The shoe heel is guided into the central bore of the socket member by means of the up wardly opening flare which is provided at the mouth of the bore. In addition, the bore may be coated with some suitable material to prevent scufling or scarring of the shoe heel.

The utilization of ribs in connection with the insert provides a simple and practical method of containing and maintaining the insert Within the boot heel. By the deformation of the boot heel material, the insert is firmly held within the boot heel bore and is prevented from changing position when the boot is. removed from the shoe.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, other variations and modifications may be made to it by those skilled in the art Without departing from the basic principles of the invention. All of these variations and modifications are considered to be within the true spirit and scope of the present invention as disclosed in the foregoing description and defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a womans boot heel and protective insert therefor, said heel having a continuous side wall portion and a ground contacting bottom Wall portion, said protective insert including a generally cylindrical member having a central bore, a conical mouth to facilitate entry of a shoe heel into said bore, said cylindrical member having a bottom wall portion closing said bore, resilient gripping means on the external periphery of the cylindrical member, said gripping means including a carrier member provided with external rib means, crest means on said rib means of a size, in the free state thereor, to be force fitted into said heel adjacent the ground contacting bottom wall portion of the latter.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the central bore of the insert which is provided at its upper end with a conical portion has a relatively thin coating of material provided thereon to "prevent scarring the shoe heel fitted within the receiving bore of the cylindrical member of the protective insert.

3. An insert in a woman's boot heel to prevent damage and wear to the heel, said heel having a continuous cylindrical side wall portion and a flat ground contacting portion, said insert having an inner bore, means to facilitate entry of a shoe heel into said bore, a generally cylindrical member received within the boot heel adjacent the ground contacting bottom wall portion thereof, said cylindrical member being mounted within a cylindrical carrier member, said carrier member having a plurality of ribs on its external periphery, said ribs having crest means, the crest means of said ribs of a size, in the free state thereof, to be force fitted into said heel adjacent the ground contacting bottom wall portion of the latter.

4. A protective insert for a womans boot heel having a longitudinally extending bore, said insert being a generally cylindrical member, said cylindrical member having an inner bore with a conical portion to facilitate entry of a shoeheel into said bore and having along its external periphery a number of spaced ribs, said ribs having crest means on said ribs of a size, in the free state thereof, to be force fitted into said heel adjacent the ground contacting bottom wall portion of the latter.

5. A protective insert for a Womans boot heel to prevent damage to the boot heel, said insert including a carrier member provided with a plurality of ribs and a cylindrical member having a central bore, means whereby the cylindrical member may be secured within the bore of the carrier member to provide protection to the boot heel.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 in which bonding means-is used to secure the cylindrical member within the bore of the carrier member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,408,564 Lea Oct. 1, 1946 2,946,139 Slade July 26, 1960 2,966,749 Loewengart et a1 Jan. 3, 1961 2,977,691 Brown et al Apr. 4, 1961 

1. IN COMBINATION, A WOMAN''S BOOT HEEL AND PROTECTIVE INSERT THEREFOR, SAID HEEL HAVING A CONTINUOUS SIDE WALL PORTION AND A GROUND CONTACTING BOTTOM WALL PORTION, SAID PROTECTIVE INSERT INCLUDING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL BORE, A CONICAL MOUTH TO FACILITATE ENTRY OF A SHOE HEEL INTO SAID BORE, SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL PORTION CLOSING SAID BORE, RESILIENT GRIPPING MEANS ON THE EXTERNAL PERIPHERY OF THE 